Info About Aristocrat Knives? (Seki, Japan, ca. 1990ish)

SpySmasher

SpySmasher

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Does anyone know anything about Aristocrat Knives or, even better, own one? Information is scarce.

I found a old copy of "Blade's Guide to Knives & Their Values" that shows them as being Seki-made and distributed by Parkway Distributors out of Panorama City, California starting in 1991. Interestingly, it also lists them as German-made as well.

I have also found pretty firm information that the same Seki factory that made Aristocrats made knives for Pacific Cutlery (eventually Benchmade in 1989) which means that the factory, at least, was making knives before Aristocrat came into being.

I ask because this knife seriously interests me:

KLC11201.jpg


It's apparently a smallish back lock-type with a unique lever actuation. That's my kind of knife.
 
This appears to be basically the same knife with a "Majestic" tang stamp. Knockoff maybe? Gives some indications as to how the lock works though.

AristocratRosewoodLeverBackLock.jpg
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
This appears to be basically the same knife with a "Majestic" tang stamp. Knockoff maybe? Gives some indications as to how the lock works though.

AristocratRosewoodLeverBackLock.jpg
Click to expand...
Interesting! Maybe not a knockoff but just the same factory working under a different brand? The way I know they worked for Pacific is that I was able to find an exact knife (different model) branded as both Aristocrat and Pacific.
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
This appears to be basically the same knife with a "Majestic" tang stamp. Knockoff maybe? Gives some indications as to how the lock works though.

AristocratRosewoodLeverBackLock.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks like Majestic might just be the model. Here's one from Etsy. Seems like they might not be quite as nicely finished as that first photo seemed.

il_340x270.1433450843_bdtp.jpg
 
I have always believed that Aristocrat knives were made by G.Sakai, the same maker for Pacific Cutlery, Al Mar (Seki models), Spyderco (Seki models) SOG (Seki folders), Cold steel (pre 2006 Japan folders), etc.
Models like the Wraith, Sovereign, Trophy all look distinctively like G.Sakai products. However, during high volume order periods, Seki factories would sometimes subcontract out among each other. For example, while G.Sakai made all of Al Mar's knives they contracted Hattori to make just the Fang. Similarly, G.Sakai may have contracted IC Cut (Hiro) for that particular model.
 
KenHash said:
I have always believed that Aristocrat knives were made by G.Sakai, the same maker for Pacific Cutlery, Al Mar (Seki models), Spyderco (Seki models) SOG (Seki folders), Cold steel (pre 2006 Japan folders), etc.
Models like the Wraith, Sovereign, Trophy all look distinctively like G.Sakai products. However, during high volume order periods, Seki factories would sometimes subcontract out among each other. For example, while G.Sakai made all of Al Mar's knives they contracted Hattori to make just the Fang. Similarly, G.Sakai may have contracted IC Cut (Hiro) for that particular model.
Click to expand...
It might be pure coincidence but one of the few commentators I could find talking about Aristocrat said that they were reminiscent of Al Mar knives.
 
They were also sold / imported by a company called Degen, out of California. Degen was an odd little company that sold multiple price levels of knives, and offered custom etches for various other companies. If you can find him, try asking Mike Stewart of Blackjack fame if he knows anything about them. He was still around California at close to the time Degen Aristocrat was getting off the ground. I know that Degen also used some of the same suppliers too, so he might know something.

I'm also in agreement that G Sakai was involved at some stage too.
 
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